PS3:PS3HEN

Do not enable Factory Service Mode (FSM) or CCAPI with PS3HEN!

At the time of writing, this guide applies to 4.88 OFW and lower only.

PS3HEN - short for PS3 Homebrew ENabler - allows you to do most things that custom firmware (CFW) can do. It is installed using PS3Xploit and is compatible with all console models. If you are connected to the internet, PS3HEN will automatically update itself whenever it is run.

A video demonstration for how to install PS3HEN can be found on MrMario2011's channel.

A video guide on how to update PS3HEN can also be found on MrMario2011's channel.

Installing PS3HEN

• You will need:
  • A USB storage device, formatted as FAT32 with 32kb allocation size.

1. Navigate to the Settings column of the XMB, then System Settings > System Information, and take note of your System Software version. If it is above 4.88, this guide is not applicable for your firmware.
2. Visit http://ps3xploit.com on your PC and click the link to download 4.88.1 HFW.
3. Check the MD5 hash of the HFW .PUP file to ensure that it matches 23F60BAF3C3D38BC77AA452E770D1248. If it does not, you will need to redownload it.
4. Install the downloaded .PUP update to your PS3 like a normal firmware update.
5. Navigate to the Network column of the XMB and open the Internet Browser, press Triangle > select Tools > Confirm Browser Close > Off.
6. Press Triangle > select Tools > Homepage > Use Blank Page.
7. Press Triangle > select Tools > Delete Cookies
8. Press Triangle > select Tools > Delete Search History
9. Press Triangle > select Tools > Delete Cache
10. Press Triangle > select Tools > Delete Authentication Information
11. Press Circle to close the browser, then open it again.
12. Press Start and enter ps3xploit.com and press Start.
    • Press the Start button and choose "Add to Bookmarks" for convenience.
13. In the top left corner, highlight PS3HEN and click "HEN Installer (Alternate)" link. It will say "Initializing..." and progress to 100% and display further instructions.
    • If it fails, close the browser and try again.
14. Following the displayed instructions, close the web browser, and select the "Remote Play" icon on the XMB and press Circle to exit it. A new icon "Install HEN" will appear above the "Remove Play" icon.
15. Press Cross on the "Install HEN" > Install > Yes. It will automatically install.
16. Restart your PS3. You will now have "★ Enable HEN" and "★ Package Manager" icons under the Game column of the XMB.
17. Launch "★ Enable HEN" and it will run and kick you back to the XMB. You can now install any homebrew as if you were running CFW except CCAPI or Factory Service Mode (FSM).
    • If your system instantly reboots or crashes, try again. It is not always successful.

• You will need to click the "★ Enable HEN" every time you want to use homebrew on your PS3. It will work even if you are disconnected from the internet.